1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an operation apparatus for an automatic transmission. In particular, the present invention relates to an operation apparatus to be used with a shift lever for effecting a shifting operation between a plurality of driving positions, such as run, stop, park and the like, in A/T (Automatic Transmission) type vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some conventional vehicles, such as automobiles of the A/T type, have a shift lever position side in which a shift lever for selecting a desired driving position out of several driving positions is connected through a wire to a transmission position side. The automatic transmission is operated by driving the shift lever swingably. The swingable operation of the shift lever at the shift lever position side is transmitted to the transmission position side through the wire.
A conventional detent mechanism for the shift lever includes a contact pin for inhibiting the movement of the shift lever, as shown in Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 2584279. The contact pin is contacted with and removed from a contact slit mounted on a detent plate. The shift lever used with this conventional detent mechanism is referred by as a two-knob type shift lever because a detent knob for operating the detent mechanism is mounted on a shift knob of the shift lever.
Another conventional operation apparatus for an automatic transmission is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Publication Laid-Open No. 5-33432. This conventional operation apparatus is provided with many switches, each of which is operated for each range position.
As mentioned above, however, the conventional A/T type vehicle has the shift lever position side connected usually through a wire to the transmission position side. Therefore, there has been a problem that deviations in the transmission of swingable operation force due to the shift lever are undesirably generated between both position sides because of slack off and distortion of the wire. Furthermore, it is necessary to secure the space required for the wiring between both position sides, and the manufacturing cost of the wiring may be increased.
Moreover, the conventional detent mechanism for shifting the shift lever to a desired driving position, as shown in Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 2584279, requires a shift lever of the two-knob type, as mentioned above. Such two-knob type shift levers have a detent knob additionally mounted on a shift knob. Therefore, the operation of the shift lever becomes more complex.
Moreover, the conventional operation apparatus of an automatic transmission, as shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication Laid-Open No. 5-33432 mentioned above, has switches operating at each of a range of positions, respectively. Therefore, there is not provided any function for inhibiting error operations in spite of the necessity of different two-directional operations.